Hundreds celebrate life of J.C. Stroble, a Spartanburg original

Monday

Sep 2, 2013 at 4:21 AM

Hundreds of people came to Cornerstone Baptist Church on South Converse Street Sunday afternoon to pay their respects to John Cecil “J.C.” Stroble, 71, a family man and hard worker who lived a “Christ-like life,” giving much to his family and community.

By Jenny Arnoldjennifer.arnold@shj.com

Hundreds of people came to Cornerstone Baptist Church on South Converse Street Sunday afternoon to pay their respects to John Cecil “J.C.” Stroble, 71, a family man and hard worker who lived a “Christ-like life,” giving much to his family and community. As he barked, “Call it,” “Walk and talk” and “It's fine to pass in line at the Beacon Drive-In” at beauty queens, presidential candidates and regular customers, he became a Spartanburg icon from his 57 years of service at the renown diner.Bishop Charles J.J. Jackson III of Cornerstone Baptist said he remembered his first experience at the Beacon, as a young pastor from out-of-state. He gave Stroble his order at the counter — a hot dog with mustard and relish.“And he said, 'Give me a dog, let it run through the woods and make it stink,'” Jackson said, as peals of laughter came from the pews. “I was scared to death. But I did what people do when they're unsure. I faked it. I smiled, went through the line and got my hot dog, and I prayed that it was right.”State Sen. Glenn Reese said he remembered 1963, the year he coached a basketball team of 7th through 9th graders. After the games, they'd go to the Beacon to eat. Back then, customers stood at tall tables to eat their meals.When the new Beacon was built, it had plenty of seating and a line from where customers placed their orders with Stroble that stretched to where they paid John B. White Sr. at the cash register.“That's where J.C. came out and blossomed,” Reese said. “J.C. found his place. It was a life of service. J.C. got to know most of the presidents of the last 50 years. He became extremely famous. The Beacon is a light, and J.C. let his light shine statewide and worldwide.”Spartanburg Mayor Pro Tempore Jerome Rice recalled Stroble's intimidating reputation, as the caller's curt shouting made some first-time customers nervous but delighted the regulars who came back for more.“J.C. was an intimidator,” Rice said, as laughter rose again in the sanctuary. “If you got in that line and you didn't know what you wanted …”Rice read a proclamation signed by all council members and Mayor Junie White declaring Sept. 1 as John Cecil “J.C.” Stroble Day in Spartanburg.Like Jackson, Dr. Kirk H. Neely, pastor of Morningside Baptist Church, remembered an early ordering experience with Stroble. His wife wanted a club sandwich — on whole wheat.“I said, 'Oh, I don't know about the whole wheat,'” Neely said, as those in the church laughed in anticipation.Neely ordered a club sandwich — on whole wheat — for his wife. Stroble replied, “Look, this ain't no delicatessen.”Neely also remembered when a woman spoke to John White at the cash register, complaining about the “loud mouth” calling out the orders at the start of the line.“He brings a lot of business for this little hot dog stand, and I want him to keep yelling,” White replied, according to Neely.Though legally blind from glaucoma, Stroble saw much, and never let his disability get in the way of his work — often 6 days a week, for 12 or more hours a day since he was 14 and started at the drive-in as a carhop.“My goodness, could J.C. see,” Neely said. “He had extraordinary vision into the human heart.”And J.C. knew the savior he shared initials with — Jesus Christ, Neely said.“If you looked at J.C., you could see what a Christian is supposed to be,” Neely said. “Maybe he's serving at the great banquet table, where I imagine everything is 'a-plenty.' Maybe he's at the pearly gates saying, 'Keep moving.'”Leon Russ, a former journalist now with the J.C. Stroble Glaucoma Awareness Foundation, said Stroble lived a “Christ-like life,” treating everyone with dignity and respect and serving others all the time.State Rep. Harold Mitchell said everyone in the church likely had a Stroble story to tell, but one that many may not know is that because of his work at the Beacon, he was a conduit of integration in Spartanburg. Civil rights leaders interested in, say, integrating the local YMCA would come to Stroble at the drive in and tell him what changes they wanted. Stroble would arrange a meeting with White so that the civil rights leaders could be heard.“J.C. was a lot more than just the 'call it' man,” Mitchell said. “For some of us, we're better off because he called it.”Mitchell presented the family with a state flag that was flown at the Statehouse last week in memory of Stroble.Kenny Church, co-owner of the Beacon, said Stroble often met three or four generations of families who made going to the restaurant for chili cheeseburgers, onion rings and sweet tea a lasting tradition. Stroble and White were “bookends” who made the Beacon extraordinary.“God made them and broke the mold,” Church said.All four of Stroble's children — Ki-Ki Stroble Ross, Melvin Stroble Sr., Kelvin M. Stroble and Nikki Stroble-Lucas — shared memories of a man they knew not as the caller at the Beacon, but as a man they called Dad. They said they had not realized the far reaching impact their father had until his death, as messages of condolences poured in from Spartanburg and beyond.Stroble set an example for his children, working hard at his job in spite of glaucoma, diabetes, high blood pressure and surgeries, but also stressing the importance of getting an education to better themselves.“To me, he's just 'Dad,'” said Stroble Ross. “He didn't focus on his disability (blindness) but his ability to persevere through it all. Just because you have a disability doesn't mean you can't achieve the dream.”Melvin Stroble talked of the trait that most people remember best about Stroble — his modesty and humbleness.“In fact, when my dad met George Bush, I found out about it from the newspaper,” Melvin Stroble said. “Dad didn't see him himself as a celebrity. He saw himself as an individual who worked hard. He was a father to us, he was a father to many. He showed us if we care for one another, we too, can make this world a better place. We shared him with the world. We thank you for loving him.”